Friday, August 19, 2016

Wrestle Against the Machine

“I’m betting on myself and not the machine. Whether I
succeed or fail, it’s all on me.”

Back in May, Cody Rhodes was granted his release from World
Wrestling Entertainment- the only company he’s ever known. He didn’t just
wrestle there for a decade- he was born into it with his father being The
American Dream, Dusty Rhodes. Along with his brother, Dustin (also known as
Goldust), Cody forged his own legacy in the WWE. Despite wrestling there for the
better part of ten years, his exit seemed premature and far from amicable.

Like
any longtime worker leaving their employer, Rhodes is driven by his desire to
test himself and a change of scenery. The grass is not guaranteed to be
greener, but with Rhodes’ abilities in ring and on the mic- the sky’s the limit
for the thirty-one year old.

Cody’s debut on the independent circuit has been known ever
since he released this image of a wish list of matches he wants to have:

Matches would be announced not too much later after the
release of the image: Zack Sabre, Jr., Chris Hero, Kurt Angle- with plenty more
on the way. Ever since his departure from WWE, Rhodes has kept to himself for
the most part. But now as the match is almost here, Rhodes had an extensive and
impressive interview with Aubrey Sitterson:

It wasn’t just what he said- but how he said it. Rhodes’
conviction was palpable, and his confidence was very much present as well. It
was a superb mix of genuine honesty that brilliantly balanced the line between
modesty and arrogance. It didn’t take long for him to establish a commandment
of sorts: thou shall not use insider terms. Rhodes did admit it was mostly his
personal take, and not that non-wrestlers can’t
use them- but don’t be surprised if he cringes when he hears them.

But how did Rhodes get to this point of self-discovery and testing
his limits outside of a WWE umbrella? Over the last decade, it could have been
a multitude of things that added up over time- but there are a few things that
stand out. The first is false promises made to him by management in regards to
winning Money in the Bank- not once, but twice.
Akin to not receiving a bonus, pulling the rug out from Rhodes only hurt
his relationship with WWE. The most recent instance stands out the most,
thought.

“When you’re calling NXT ‘Dusty’s kids’ and his actual kid
is working there- dressing up as a f*cking space clown is the last thing you
want to do.”

The “space clown” Rhodes refers to is his most recent WWE
vehicle- Stardust. The character was an advent of sorts for Rhodes, coyly
playing off his brother’s Goldust character. It was further evidence of Rhodes
making chicken salad out of chicken you-know-what. Some may have folded when
given a character with limited potential- but not Rhodes.

He admits his debut seemed boring to himself, but would
later find magic with “Dashing” Cody Rhodes. He’d be lumped into Legacy with
fellow second and third generation stars Ted DiBiase and Randy Orton. Later
after he’d suffer a broken nose from Rey Mysterio, working the real-life mask
into a storylines. His evolution was fairly obvious, and a joy to watch. His
work with Damien Sandow as one half of Rhodes Scholars was entertaining- but it
always felt the son of The American Dream was destined for much, much more.

That brings us back to his “space clown” comment. I can only
sympathize with Rhodes, as it seemed like a no-brainer to have him assume his
real name and identity instead of a “Jim Carrey impression”.

Fans in 2016 enjoy
realness in their perceived “fake” sport. CM Punk introduced us to a new kind
of “real” in wrestling in 2011. Daniel Bryan’s 2013-2014 meteoric rise added to
it, and multiple storylines over the last few years have used real life
elements to power them.

Yet WWE failed to give Cody the ball following his father’s
unfortunate passing- dropping it and letting the star flounder in the midcard.
Sometimes Stardust received opportunities on RAW, but was more often used to
put over talent and at best take part on a preshow of a pay-per-view. Despite
being stuck in the midcard, Rhodes kept plugging away. The first of two
instances that led to Cody’s decision to leave was when a writer approached
Cody and suggested using the Dusty Rhodes’ tag team tournament as a way to kick
off a storyline. This deeply offended Rhodes, and rightfully so.

Then prior to the WWE Draft, Rhodes was told that creative
had nothing planned for him.

Let me get this straight- nothing planned for THE Cody
Rhodes, during a time where the likes of Rhyno, Shelton Benjamin and Curt
Hawkins were being looked at as roster additions? Preposterous.

As Owen Hart was famously known for saying, “enough’s enough
and it’s time for a change.”

That change is peeling away the bright lights and big stage
on both USA Network and the WWE Network. That change is breaking away from the
Cody Rhodes of WWE, and a new version not yet seen on the independent circuit.
That change is giving Rhodes control of his future and any success or failure is
placed squarely on his shoulders.

Rhodes admits not all of the blame can be placed on an
employer in this situation. According to him, a wrestler isn’t just held back
by the company. At times, it can be due to laziness from the
perceivably-oppressed wrestler. Yet when you throw tomato after tomato at the
wall and try to work with them to no positive reception- a change must be made.

Now with him dropping hints such as new ring boots for his
match with Angle, or talking about a new not-yet-named finisher, Rhodes has
begun to plant seeds for his evolution.

“I’m betting on myself and not the machine. Whether I
succeed or fail, it’s all on me.”

Call it what you will. An evolution, a renaissance, an
epiphany, a revelation, a reinvention. But whatever you call it, there’s one
thing for certain: this next stage in Rhodes’ career is powered by his love of
wrestling. He was offered a hefty contract to stay with WWE, but chose to do
what he thinks may fulfill him. Like a professional athlete who never
experienced college life, Rhodes wants to see what the noise is all about with
the independent up-and-comers. Iron sharpens iron, and Rhodes will assuredly
improve those he works with- but he’ll likely improve not only because of his
hunger but also because of the variety of talented opponents to work with.

Evolve is a fitting name for Rhodes’ first show, as it’s
exactly what he is looking to do as a wrestler.

His first challenge is Zack
Sabre, Jr. at Evolve 66 Friday night in Joppa, Maryland.

“He’s not a great technical wrestler. He’s a great wrestler,” said Cody.

With a burgeoning acting career being kicked off with an
appearance on season five of Arrow, Rhodes is making the most of his
opportunities. But the greatest opportunity isn’t the money and the fame. No,
it’s simply for a star in his prime to prove himself on a new stage of a sport
he loves.